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Researchers from the Mind, Brain and Behaviour Research Centre (CIMCYC) of the University of Granada (UGR) have designed a test to detect dysphagia, a disorder that prevents people from swallowing when eating. It affects 8 percent of the world’s population. Dysphagia is prevalent among older people in particular (30 percent to 40 percent of the elderly people admitted to hospitals […]
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Being more socially active in your 50s and 60s predicts a lower risk of developing dementia later on, finds a new UCL-led study. The longitudinal study, published in PLOS Medicine, reports the most robust evidence to date that social contact earlier in life could play an important role in staving off dementia. “Dementia is a major global health challenge, with […]
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There is no treatment yet for dementia; but one day, a family doctor could prescribe a specific diet, an exercise regime, music or language lessons, or documentary discussion groups as treatments to ward off the disease. Canadian researchers are recruiting older adults across Toronto and Montreal to explore the benefits of different types of brain training and lifestyle interventions for […]
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A substantial fraction of non-central nervous system cancer survivors, especially those who have received chemotherapy, experience long-lasting cognitive difficulties, including problems with concentration, word-finding, short-term memory, and multitasking. Though well documented, cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI), known colloquially as chemobrain or chemofog, remains a mystery regarding its underlying neurological causes. In a Forum paper published June 12 in the journal Trends […]
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Charles Bonnet Syndrome (CBS) is an ophthalmologic condition present in about one-third of persons with visual impairment. Patients with CBS experience various forms of visual hallucinations caused by the vision deterioration itself. Patients with CBS have visual hallucinations without any evidence of mental illness or illicit drugs use. CBS hallucinations are out of patients’ control and can last from minutes […]
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People who frequently play violent video games are more immune to disturbing images than non-players, a UNSW-led study into the phenomenon of emotion-induced blindness has shown. The scientists showed that players were better at disregarding graphic content while viewing a rapid series of images, leaving them better able to see what they were asked to look for than non-players. While […]
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Taking typical daily annoyances such as a long wait at the doctor’s office or a traffic jam on the freeway in stride may help preserve brain health in older adults, while emotional reactions could contribute to declines in cognition, a new study from Oregon State University has found. “These results confirm that people’s daily emotions and how they respond to […]
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The squeeze high blood pressure puts on fragile blood vessels in the brain appears to disrupt a normal, protective process that balances the blood flowing to our brains with the activity of our resting neurons. In the face of hypertension, as blood flow decreases, neuron-nurturing brain cells called astrocytes may instead tell neurons to increase their activity, says Dr. Jessica […]
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Cranking up your headphones or scrambling for a front-row spot at rock shows could be damaging more than your hearing. New research from The Ohio State University has found that young people with subtle hearing loss—the kind they aren’t even aware of—are putting demands on their brains that typically wouldn’t be seen until later in life. “Hearing loss, even minor […]
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Injury to the adult brain is all too common. A brain injury will often show up on brain scans as a well-defined area of damage. But often the changes to the brain extend far beyond the visible injury. Changes in the brain also continue to evolve for many months after injury. Part of this is simply the clearing away of […]
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